The Bureau of Internal Revenue has reminded all local government units in Negros Oriental of their responsibility as withholding tax agents of the bureau.
Dumaguete-based Revenue District 79 chief Crescencio A. Agad reiterated the observation of BIR commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares that a number of LGUs including provincial, city, municipal and barangay governments have been remiss in their duty as withholding agents of the bureau.
According to Agad, his office will be conducting massive tax information drive in the barangays here and the entire district for compliance of the commissioner’s directive.
He said LGUs need to be regularly briefed particularly persons directly involved or in-charge of disbursements so that proper withholding of taxes and remittances are made possible.
Agad said the BIR is doing this in order to lessen the number of LGU-abatement cases being processed arising from their failure to remit the withheld taxes on time or non-withholding of requisite taxes due to ignorance of the law.
Last year, the revenue district office has reported a very low compliance of the withholding tax for barangay officials.
This year, he said they will implement the BIR commissioner’s directive, with late remittance to be penalized with additional charges and penalties.
Agad also thanked taxpayers in Negros Oriental in exceeding their of P1.085 billion target collection last year.
Revenue District 79 collected P1.229 billion or 13 percent against target.
Collection efficiency is imperative at this time, Agad said, as 70-80 percent of the P1.6 trillion national budget was tasked to the BIR. (PNA) LAM/jfp/JG